AHEAD OF THE BELL

Oil supplies expected to fall

[September 12, 2012]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The Energy Department is expected to report Wednesday that the nation's crude stockpiles fell by 3.3 million barrels for the week that ended Sept. 7, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

Analysts predict gasoline supplies declined by 2.3 million barrels and distillate stocks -- which include diesel and heating fuel -- decreased by 1.5 million barrels. Refinery utilization is expected to increase by 0.5 percentage point to 86.6 percent.

The Energy Information Administration releases its weekly report at 10:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday.

[Associated Press]

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